Des Moines, IA (Radio Iowa)– Republicans in the state legislature are hoping to send the governor a bill to increase general state spending on Iowa’s public schools by about 106 million dollars.

House Speaker Pat Grassley says the House is expected to approve that level of spending early next week giving school boards about two months to finalize budget plans for the next academic year.

Democrats say school districts need more to offer competitive teacher salaries and to cover rising costs of fuel to heat buildings and run buses.

Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames says the state would have more to spend if Republicans hadn’t approved state-funded savings accounts for private school parents.

Senator Sarah Trone Garriott of West Des Moines says dozens of school districts will end up getting less money for the next academic year.

The bill also includes 900-thousand additional dollars in state support for geographically large school districts that have higher fuel usage for bus routes.